Matteo Chiappetta grew up outside of Washington, D.C. and is currently an Industrial Design student at Virginia Tech, with a focus in furniture, lighting, and everyday objects. Shaped by an Italian, Japanese, and Peruvian background, his approach to design is informed by an interest in material culture, craft traditions, and how objects mediate daily life across different contexts. His work balances intuition and pragmatism, moving between expressive sensitivity and structural clarity.

He began developing this perspective through research work with the Virginia Tech BioDesign Research Group in Blacksburg, followed by an design residency with Artesanos Don Bosco in Chacas, Peru where he worked closely with local craftspeople on furniture and material exploration. He later studied furniture design abroad in Copenhagen, continuing with an internship at Anders Jensen Industrial Designers. He most recently interned at Fort Standard in New York City, and in 2026 will begin an internship with C.F. Møller in Aarhus, working within an architectural driven design environment.